I don’t use a lot of drags but when the set and or situation calls for it I do. I don’t have a lot of them. Most are for my wolf traps but they can do double duty for coyote though I prefer to keep them ready for the wolf traps.

I do have a number of the heavy tie plates welded together for beaver drowners. Doubled up they weigh 41-42 pounds.

Anyone ever used heavy weights like this for coyote drags. I’d use 10’ chains like I do on my prong drags. I can’t imagine a coyote getting very far with that much iron. In most case when I’d use a drag I’d like to preserve the original set.

I suspect the would freeze down and be just like you staked them, so they would defeat the purpose of preserving your set. Otherwise they should work fine.

I've heard of guys using old brake rotors for coyote drags with good luck. Think they might weigh about the same.

A railroad spike pushed through a hole in the tie plate both ways and welded should help it.

No doubt it would but then they cease to stack neatly. And might be hard on the hull of an aluminum boat or canoe. Their primary function is as beaver drowning weights.

I have used them and they work well leaving a good trail and are noisy to boot...chain and trap hitting the plate. They are an outstanding beaver weight. Use a long chain like you said and I see no problem...except thieves possibly. Johnny Thorpe recommended attaching the plate right next to the trap so that the coyote would step on the plate as it tried to leave...worked for him. Around here we have a bunch of different RR plates....one is light weight say 5 lb.s, another is larger rectangled shape and about 10 lb.s and the last one is probably what you are referring to large and much heavier probably around 15 pounds plus. Great items t have on hand...I try to store them on my trapping properties as they are bulky. I run some 1/8 cable to them so that I can quickly attach a quick link...tighten them down with a pair of pliers. Hope this helps....

I’ve used truck brake rotors as drags for DP’s and no a coon has never even budged one. It our brush I doubt a coyote would move one very far.

Pore concrete into a 1/2 gal milk jug and leave about 6" of chain hanging out. Take your common metal fox/coyote drag (no sense to spend lots of $ here). Weld 3 HD fence staple to the back end of the drag - 1 in the middle, 1 on each side of the loop. Get a snap link and clip the concrete weights to the back of the drag. You can add those 3 weights up and you will be close to 35lbs, less if you need only 2. Make sure you use some plastic container that has FLAT sides so they don't roll around in the back of the truck (Anyone want to buy some 2 liter pop bottle concrete drag weights cheap!!!!!!). You can carry up to 5 drags with weight w/o worrying if you are set for the location in a car, more in the truck. They attach/detach with snap easily and you can make an easy way to attach to an extension chain. My experience ..................... the mike

So. I had the bright idea back when it used to rain---- railroad tie plates stacked and tied together with snare cable for a coyote drag /set. Farmer was losing calves too wet for staking of any kind. Stacked up plates covered with mud to make a dirt mud mound set traps in peat moss gland lure on mound two traps. Caught stock killer he weighed 32 lbs tie plates weighed 51 lbs he took two traps and eight foot of chain and all those tie plates 1/2 a mile heck of a time finding him I think he was getting a run on the long chain skidding the weights and then hitting it agai lol. I don't use tie plates any more

Do y’all not have grass? Brush or trees of any kind?

My area is high prairie. Mostly dry land crops, wheat, oats, barley, canola and beans. Fair number of cattle growers and a few sheep. Some grass strips in low areas and brushy draws. Timber in some areas.

I've caught yotes and bobcats on tie plate drags . I've gotten nothing but negative remarks about it by lovers of the " Drag ". If I wanted the catch to hang up right away I would just stake it down ...lol


I sometimes want a catch to move downhill and away from a set , this is where a tie plate works great .

Just my opinion of course

All I’ll say about “clogs”, is never underestimate how far a coyote can haul a heavy weight on hard ground!

I was guessing the negative remarks on tie plates were whether or not someone trespassed on RR property and stole them. It’s not like you go to the local hardware store and buy em.

RR employee gave me mine. They were from a pile destined for the scrap yard.

I pull them out of the crick. Almost every RR bridge will have them underneath it. Find them trapping and fishing. No trespassing or stealing as I can see it.

I've always understood that if you're on rr right of way that you're trespassing.

I've always understood that rr right of way was public. Unless they have abandoned the railroad, then most of it out west is supposed to revert to the landowner. They've had lawsuits about that where the built of bunch of those "rails to trails" biking and hiking trails. The original papers on most all of the big railroads out west stated that the ground ceded to the railroad was only for the railroad and if the railroad abandoned it, it was to revert back to the parcels of land it was cut out of.

There are also tie plates and stuff all over out in the woods from the old logging railroads they were running a hundred years ago. And yeah, there is always a bunch at the scrap yards.

ROW goes state to state. NY example. If a landowner owns land on both sides of a town/county road there is no ROW. Belongs to the taxpayer/owner.